Usually despatched in 2 - 3 working days. (Available now to download.)

About

Alfred Hill was the doyen of Australasian composers, and his exploration of the string quartet demonstrates the range of his imagination. Both the Tenth and Eleventh quartets were written in 1935, but they offer richly differing affiliations. No. 10 brings a classical formality fused with hints of Gershwin, and a remarkable last movement which recalls the three earlier movements in rapid succession in just 32 bars, whereas No. 11 marks the height of Hill’s impressionist refinement, complete with a characteristically beautiful slow movement. The ‘Life’ Quintet, with its vocal finale, was written in 1912, a fascinating experiment later reworked into a symphony.

Listen

To listen to sound samples, please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Alfred Hill: String Quartet No. 10 in E major

I. Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Scherzo

IV. Finale: Allegro moderato

Alfred Hill: String Quartet No. 11 in D minor

I. Andantino - Lento - Allegro

II. Adagio

III. Allegretto

Alfred Hill: Life Quintet

Reviews

July 2012

“They have a lovely sound and a good ensemble, although occasionally show a tendency towards slower speeds than necessary...I can highly recommend the series, both for committed playing and as first documentation of an important part of the quartet repertoire.”